How does one go about building a fallout shelter in their basement? We are building a house pretty soon and are going to have a storm shelter in our basement and thought we might just make it into a storm/fallout/zombie appocolypse shelter.

Just wandering what you would need like air pump and who you would get to do it.

Now I dont want this thread to get into a big debate of why we would even need this and who your hiding from and things like that.

There is a TON of info out there, far more than I can put into a posting here- but in general, there are two different things- immediate radiation from the detonation of a nuke, and residual radiation.

Residual radiation, mainly in the form of soil that is sucked through the fireball of a nuke, is fallout. Fallout is a physical particle that happens to be somewhat radioactive. Your goal is to keep that dust away from your body, and not breathe it.

First distance is your friend. The inverse square law has ALL radiation drop sharply as distance increases. Second, you are seeking an air filtration system. That includes pump AND a filter that will pull that dust out of the air before you breathe it. Third, you need a space that will hold that filtered air. Please note that is NOT an airtight space, but one that you can maintain a positive air pressure inside, so that air flowing OUT does not pull dust IN.

Finally, you need a space where you can live- that means eat, drink, sleep, and defecate for at least 2 weeks. Without going outside that sheltered space.

The details will vary, depending on how many people you want to hold, how you are planning to POWER that air pump for two weeks (Con Edison is probably out) It IS possible to build your own manual pump and filter, and you can even make your own basic radiation meter (mine is better, but I am a grad of Nuke Warfare school from years back)

See if our library can score your a copy of "Pulling Through" by Dean Ing. Paperback, but prices on this one are about $20.

Guess you didnt read my first post of this thread asking not to make this inro a debate thread about whats more likely to happen. And noone mentioned the russians and noone actually knows what went on with the governtment achieving peace we only know what we are told and im sorry to say that is the bare minimum.

Jon- WAY too many variables to name a single $$$ cost. Low end- $1,000. High end- ummm.... how much money did you say you had?

Our place is double duty- storm shelter (had home demolished by tornado in 86) NBC shelter (downwind from a couple of nuclear reactors- ask folks in Japan about that) and wine cellar (nobody said you had to be miserable waiting out the tornado)

Yes, will probably never use it as an NBC shelter. Will probably never use that 20 lb ABC extinguisher in my shop either. But it is there just in case.

We equipped our place over the years, and on the cheap. Radiation meter? Paid $17 for mine, including shipping. Good surplus Civil Defense Victoreen 717 meter, runs on 1 D cell. Yes, been calibrated. You can spend a LOT more.

I would think that building a bunker with railroad ties and covering it with those old asbestos lined refrigeration panels would be a cheap way to set up a fortified shelter. If the asbestos panels are done right and provide enough insulation you might even be able to survive the house burning down around you, and I know the railroad ties provide some serious load bearing support because I helped build an underground bunker with similar looking lumber during some training with combat engineers.

As for air exchange and filtration, I would want the unit inside the bunker along with a gas powered generator that's vented out. Kill the electricity, button down the vents, and your ready for armageddon, at least until your air runs out, then open it up enough to breath. Then again I really don't have any clue what I'm talking about so don't put my idea at the top of the list. Do you think an excercise bike chained to an air pump is a good idea or a waste of space?